I don't treat myself often to services like massages and facials, but Spa Sudeva had good ratings, and it's close to my home in South Tampa. Overall, I would highly recommend Sudeva: it has a thoughtfully decorated interior and good service and is a great place to get a massage or a facial.
I will start by saying the first time I went here, I did so seeking a massage for pain management. The person who massaged me--although she did an excellent job--didn't listen to me much. It felt like she was running down a massage script and didn't focus on any of the pain areas I brought up. So while she was very good at what she did, I felt a little stung that she ignored my problem areas.
However, the next time I went, the person who massaged me (Becky) did a magnificent job. She listened to me talk about my problem areas, and specifically focused on them. She did an amazing, amazing job. Seriously one of the best massages I've ever had.
I've also had a couple of nice facials from here. Relaxing and high quality. Sadly, the last time I got a facial I was told Becky is no longer with Spa Sudeva (if anyone knows where she went, please let me know).
I've been here before and during the pandemic. Before, there is a relaxation room with tea and chairs you can relax in after your facial/massage, which is very nice. Everything is immaculately decorated to make you feel like you're in a peaceful environment.
During the pandemic, it seems the Sudeva was treating COVID very seriously, which I appreciated.
However, if I had any complaints, it would be the customer service here. It's enough to knock an entire star off. I came once during the middle of the pandemic (when everyone was being very careful) and Spa Sudeva told me not to come early--and to wait outside the front door when I got there. Doing as I was instructed, I sat in my car until right at my appointment time, and then walked up to the front door to wait. I was probably only 1-2 minutes after my appointment time by the time I got in the front door and the person at the front desk (who may have been the owner) was very snippy with me and verbally admonished me about tardiness. It was completely unnecessary based on the mixed messages I received about when and how to arrive.
This wasn't the only time the receptionist (also possibly owner) was less than ideal at customer service. Once when I tried to book an appointment over the phone, the person told me to use the website booking system next time, in what felt like a weirdly passive aggressive way for someone who is literally about to give you hundreds of dollars. Like sorry you're too busy to spend three minutes on the phone with me booking an appointment...?
So while talking down to clients has not left a great impression on me, the overall environment and staff of Sudeva are something special. I recommend going for the massages and facials, just don't expect too much in terms of being treated like a valuable client. read more